We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.
The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ...
Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.
Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.
Scotland’s climate is changing but action to adapt to critical impacts has stalled, posing risks to people, infrastructure, and business, finds a new assessment from the Climate Change Committee (CCC).
Over the last 30 years, average temperature in Scotland has risen by 0.5⁰C, Scottish winters have become 5% wetter and sea level around the Scottish coast has increased by up to 3cm each decade.
Further climate change in Scotland is now inevitable, no matter how rapidly global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, according to the CCC.
The Scottish Government has set out a vision to adapt the nation and build its climate resilience, but more needs to be done to translate this ambition into real-world adaptation.
The CCC’s assessment highlights five areas where action to adapt and build resilience to climate change in Scotland is stalling, including natural environment, infrastructure, built environment, health and business.
Chair of the CCC’s Adaptation Committee, Baroness Brown, said: ‘We commend the Scottish Government on its vision for a climate ready Scotland, but the reality is that action is not happening at the scale or pace required. In most sectors including the natural and built environments, health, infrastructure and business, action has stalled.
‘Without a renewed sense of urgency, the significant changes we are already seeing in Scotland today will have impacts on all areas of Scottish society and nature in the years to come. Scotland needs to up its game by kickstarting delivery; introducing clear, measurable targets; improving monitoring and evaluation of climate risks and ensuring greater accountability for Government – it has some examples of good practice to build on.’
The CCC recommends that the Scottish Government drives action based on its vision for a well-adapted Scotland, setting out clear, time-bound and quantitative targets, and urgently improves monitoring and evaluation.
It also recommends that the Scottish Government raises the level of adaption response.
The full report on the assessment can be viewed here.
Photo by Bjorn Snelders